08/31/2026
See Chicago Dance
“Dance for Life” and the Labor of Caring for One Another BY RACHEL BENZING An accumulated sense of connection, separation, history and resilience culminates in the finale by Randy Duncan, “Renewed.” Preluded by a short video honoring Duncan’s career and his contributions to “Dance for Life,” his musical partner Ira Antelis informs the audience that this work is autobiographical for Duncan. It begins with a soloist performing longing and extended movements to song lyrics that depict someone who has gone through hardship and yearns to arise from their woe. The music expands into an upbeat pop and R&B tune as the ensemble enters, and we see the soloist dancing with vigor as they cease looking backward and start finding the strength to move forward, surrounded by a cohort of dancers from across Chicago. Its message becomes a direct encapsulation of “Dance for Life” itself: the individual may face hardship, but they do not have to face it alone. Costumes by Richard Dayhoff Photo by Cheryl Mann